Pig’s Eye Brewing Co.
St. Paul, MN
Available: MN, ND, WI, IOWA, CO, PA, OK
Legend has it that the original name of St. Paul, MN was “Pig’s Eye,” named by a French visitor after a visit to Pierre Parrant, a one-eyed bootlegger of that nick-name.
ABV: 4.5
ABW: 3.6
Color: 4
Bitterness: 12
Original gravity: 1044
Final gravity: n/a
Malts used: six-row
Hops used: Cascade, Cluster, Fuggle
Clear, golden and headstrong with thick yet brief pilsener-style foam. Clean, spicy, floral and alluringly subtly low hop aroma with a hint of sweetness. Fully carbonated. Dry, refreshing, crisp with a stimulating and slight tart overall flavor. No hop flavor; clean, well-brewed American style lager. Hot dogs and beer anybody?
If you’re searching for a light, quenching brew that’s not going to ruin your palate for beers to follow, this might fit the bill. From the first sip, this is clearly going to be an easy-drinking pilsner, with a delicate, spritzy body. It’s mostly sweet, with a tart back note for balance, some gentle alcoholic warmth and a soft fruit accent — suggestions of melon and pineapple to me. It all winds up dry and mildly bitter, with only a moderate hop presence. A quick refresher after you’ve mown the lawn, perhaps?
Author of the New Complete Joy of Homebrewing, founder of the Great American Beer Festival and a Beer Examiner at www.examiner.com, Papazian is a leading voice in beer and brewing.
Author of the Good Bottled Beer Guide and The Book of Beer Knowledge, Jeff Evans is an eight-time editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and one of Britain's best-known beer writers.
